Journalists barred from asking ‘political questions’ at Asia Cup press conferences

Journalists have reportedly been barred from asking political questions at press conferences connected to the Asia Cup. Reporters were made aware of the fresh guidelines by a media official with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) before Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav sat down for a press conference in Dubai on Thursday.

The journalists were asked to refrain from asking 'political questions', which is understood to be an attempt to divert attention from the controversy involving the cricket teams of India and Pakistan over the infamous no-handshake episode during their league meeting on the weekend.

Indian players refused to perform the customary post-game handshake with their Pakistani counterparts, which skipper Suryakumar Yadav later said was a decision taken by the management. The BCCI had dedicated their 7-wicket win over the arch-rivals to the families of the 26 killed in a shooting carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists in Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 this year.

The two countries were involved in a war-like situation after the terrorist attack. India and Pakistan do not play bilateral series due to the diplomatic tension; the handshake episode in Dubai was seen as an extension of the simmering tensions.

With India and Pakistan set to clash again, in the Super Fours, on September 21, the players will likely face questions that stretch beyond the scope of the game.